Volunteers and donations are needed for First United Methodist Church’s Community Thanksgiving Dinner. 

“I’m starting to get full on the volunteers’ list, but anybody can still donate food,” said Lisa Burke, event organizer.

The annual luncheon, which is set for 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday at the church, includes turkey, dressing, corn, green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole and various desserts.

Burke said most of the food is homemade.

“Volunteers cook the turkeys at home and make the dressing and most of the desserts at home,” she said.

“We make the mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole at the church, so really everything but the canned corn, green beans and cranberry sauce is made from scratch.”

The free meal is open to the entire community, Burke said, regardless of financial need.

“This is for everyone,” she said. “We have families that come and spend their Thanksgiving with us every year, or there might be people who are alone or whose families are in other parts of the country.

“This is for fellowship, to give people a chance to spend the day with others.”

As part of the event, the church also offers home delivery of meals for those who can’t leave their homes to attend.

Burke said more than 1,000 meals were provided last year between the church site and home delivery.

“I’m guessing we’ll have about that same number this year,” she said.

More than 100 volunteers help annually with cooking, decorating, making deliveries and clean-up.